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Older persons' existential loneliness, as interpreted by their significant others - an interview study
Helena Larsson1,2, Margareta Rämgård3, Ingrid Bolmsjö3
1Faculty of Health and Society, Department of Care Science, Malmö University, SE 205 06, Malmö, Sweden. helena.larsson@hkr.se.
BMC Geriatrics
|July 12, 2017
Summary
Existential loneliness (EL) in frail older adults is often experienced when physical limitations increase, relationships fade, and social withdrawal occurs. Understanding these experiences through significant others offers deeper insights into end-of-life concerns.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Psychology
- Sociology
Background:
- Existential concerns are crucial for understanding individuals in demanding medical situations.
- Studies indicate existential concerns intensify as death approaches, particularly for older adults with infirmities.
- Research on existential loneliness (EL) is limited, with no clear definition and sparse exploration of its nuances.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore frail older persons' experiences of existential loneliness (EL).
- To interpret EL through the perspectives of their significant others.
- To contribute to a deeper understanding of EL as a complex phenomenon.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative study involving eighteen narrative interviews with nineteen significant others of frail older persons (>75).
- Data analyzed using Hsieh and Shannon's conventional content analysis.
- Part of the larger LONE study investigating EL through multiple stakeholder interviews.
Main Results:
- Significant others reported that frail older persons experience EL when facing increasing bodily and spatial limitations.
- EL is experienced during a process of disconnecting from relationships and social ties.
- Older persons' EL is characterized by increasing self-withdrawal and disconnection from the external world.
Conclusions:
- Frail older adults' EL involves a process of "letting go of life" through physical decline, loss of relationships, and social withdrawal.
- The findings deepen the understanding of EL as a complex, multifaceted experience.
- Highlighting the interpretations of significant others provides valuable insights into the lived experience of EL in older age.
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